For Sure
by sunshineman
Summary: He smiled at her. She was caught off guard by the twirling sensation on her stomach. Well, this ought to be good. One-shot! Read and Review.


**For sure**

**by sunshineman**

**00.**

The little girl with red hair stared at the woman by the window. She was an old lady, her hair collected in a bun that is now colored gray and face wrinkled, though the sense of beauty was still in her. The little girl looked at her with confusion, everyday as she and her mother passed by, she would always see her looking out the window.

The girl asked her mother, "Mum, why is that old lady always looking out the window?"

Her mother with the same red hair carried her child on her arms. "Cause she's waiting for someone." She told her calmly.

"Like how you would wait for dad?" she asked in her innocent voice.

"Exactly, like how I would wait for your dad." She smiled to her child. "She is faithfully waiting." She tells her quietly.

**i.**

She couldn't believe that this is how she will die… alone, under a burning roof, on the middle of the night. She coughed up as poisonous gas filled her lungs. She's feeling dizzy now, tears freely falling down her face. She's going to die here, she figured. And a few seconds later, darkness filled up her vision.

But it couldn't just end like that, right?

'Cause when she opened her eyes next, she was on a soft, comfortable bed. She was back at Grimmauld Place. How? She didn't now. Neither did the others. As she rested her head on the pillow, she cried and cried and cried until again, the darkness came.

She couldn't believe she almost died out there.

**ii.**

After that day, she wasn't allowed anymore to go to the grounds and defend. Rather, she was appointed to heal the injured ones. Most of her hours were consist of brewing potions, preparing gauzes and cloths and everything for emergencies.

The morning she checked whether the Pain-killing Potion was done, as she passed by Remus' office, she couldn't help but hear the conversation he and the others were having. In the half-closed door, she glimpse as she passed.

That was the first time in months she saw Draco Malfoy.

Draco Malfoy… that big enigmatic person.

It was on the summer of that year that he turned himself in to the Order. Ever since that day he became one of them. It was hard, not just for him but with the other members to get used to it and to accept him. But he fought… he fought hard for the Order. It wasn't much of a surprise when little by little; he earned the respect of the others.

Months before that day, he set out to Italy with Kingsley to look for his parents. But as Hermione heard, they failed in their mission. Draco Malfoy's parents are nowhere to be found.

When she see Malfoy then, he was always looking out the window. As if in deep thought, he looked like as if he was waiting for someone to come over. She didn't mind asking, 'cause she knows she'll just get a vague answer or not get an answer at all.

Maybe next time, she thought.

She smiled in delight as she noted that the Potions she brewed were done and ready to be used. And used, they had for that night; their hideout was crowded by injured and bleeding members. In just one night, the potions she prepared were all almost used up.

"There was a sudden raid." Ron said. His brow, bloated and eye closed, his face was dirty… mud mixed with his blood.

She immediately got hold of a clean cloth and gave it to Ron. "Put pressure on the bleeding area." She told him and tended the guy next to her.

"We lost Harry."

**iii.**

Harry was a source of hope for her.

Hope that this war will be over as soon as he defeated Voldemort. Hope that everything will return to normal once he defeated Voldemort. What now that he is nowhere to be found? She asked herself as she stirs the potion.

The war was getting more and more grave. Every day, the number of injured members gets bigger… every day; the number of people killed is getting bigger.

The innocent lives that is wasted in the war.

And the number of people joining the dark side is staggering. As the people say, the Dark Side is winning the war. And she guessed, now that Harry is lost… more and more people will join his side.

Over thinking. It is one of her biggest problem.

She put the lid to be cauldron and walked out of the room, she then went to the living room. There was no one there. She liked that. The silence of the room. She stared at the wall. Thinking. Thinking on whether where Harry is… whether he was doing fine or not. Whether he's still alive or not.

She didn't notice the tears rolling down her cheeks.

**iv.**

"You okay?" the voice of Draco Malfoy said.

That's when she noticed the tears. Quickly, she wiped them away, and turned where he was. He was standing next to the window, his usual spot. Then went back to where she was staring at.

"Yeah… just… it's the war."

"Scary, huh?"

"You bet."

"This war should end soon." He said suddenly. "I have had enough of the dead."

"You think we could make it?"

It took him a while before he could answer. "Out of this war alive? No, not really. But I have faith."

"But Harry's not around… he's supposed to end this war."

"Faith, Granger. Have some of it. Cause, that's all I got left for this war. Faith to Potter, that one day, he'll show up and defeat Voldemort… faith that my parents are still alive. Faith to everyone participating in defeating him and his forces. Faith."

That was the first time he talked to her in months. And out of everyone who talks to her every day, he had made the most sense. She was stunned for a moment.

Tears were rolling down her face once more. Through sobs and gasps, she managed to say her thanks. He was right, it seems. She always doubted their side. This war was really something. It can change a lot of people, and Draco Malfoy was one of them.

And she was thankful for it… for the change.

**v.**

The presence of Draco in the Order calms her. He is a walking reminder for her that she needs to have faith. But the war has its way of reminding its presence to everyone, and in Hermione's case, in her dreams. For days, it was the same dream… it was that time… that time she was trapped on that burning house. Every night, she would wake up, sweating like crazy and shuddering with fright.

So when she woke up that night, she gave up on sleep and took a shower. In sleep, she should feel relaxed and at peace… but no… the war even deprives her of a proper sleep. She went down to the living room, to find it occupied by Draco Malfoy.

"Can't sleep?" she asked him.

"Yeah." He answered. "You too?"

"Just woke up." She said and sat to the opposite end of the couch.

"It's just 2 in the morning." He looked at her confused

"It's this dream… it keeps on haunting me." She sighed.

"We have a Dreamless Potion in the cabinet, want me to fetch you one?" he offered her.

"No. It's okay. I can still handle it."

He chuckled for a bit.

"You're not watching anything." She said as she pointed at the television.

"Thank you for the wise observation, Granger." Sarcastically, he said.

She ignored it, though. "What I just want to say is… why open the television when you're not going to watch anything?"

"The static sound calms me." He replied. "But, here…" he threw the remote to her side. "…don't want to deny you of your right."

She smiled at him. "You're so nice, Malfoy."

They looked at each other then. He chuckled again.

"The big bad death eater's gone soft."

She laughed at that comment. A few moments or so, the constant snore of someone sleeping upstairs and the static sound was all that could be heard in the room.

She didn't change the channel at all. And again, he was right; the static sound is really calming.

"What do you plan after the war?" she asked him.

"Don't know." He replied. "I might as well go live in the muggle world."

She faced him. "That is really something. You have changed quite a lot, haven't you? You're even considering living in the muggle world, for Christ's sake!"

"Just saying… I really don't want to live in a place where I can be reminded of the war. It brings painful memories." He said, his eyes never leaving the screen of the TV.

"Promise to call me sometime, if ever you really did so."

He faced her, then and smiled, a real smile… not his smirk, not a smug look, but a smile. "Promise."

She was caught off guard by the twirling sensation on her stomach.

**vi.**

It became a habit. Night after night, they would meet up and just talk. Talk of anything that they would want to.

"Ever plan on marrying after all this?" he asked her. He was on the left side of the couch, sitting comfortably facing her.

She was lying on the right side of the couch, her head on the arm rest, her knees bended, and her feet right next to him. She looked up to him. "If the right man comes, why not… you?"

"If what they say is true; that I'm the last Malfoy alive, then, I guess so. Don't want to let my ancestors down." He answered.

"Doesn't your father have some siblings?"

"No, none. It's a tradition in the family."

"Oh, traditions."

"Traditions that are older than Merlin himself."

"And these traditions include the Blood Status thing, isn't it?"

"Yes."

They became silent for a while.

"I don't hate muggleborns, you understand that now, right?"

"Think so… I mean, you want to live in the muggle world, and you're talking to me now." She said. "Yeah…"

"Good." He replied. "It's just how the family raised and taught me. Even so, opinions and outlooks in life can be change by experience and circumstances."

She slide up a little, so her back now rests on the armrest, she looked at him. "What made you change yours?"

"Hogwarts." He said. "And pretty much, this war."

"Hogwarts?"

He stared at her for a while. "People like you…"

"Like me?"

"You know… competitive, smart, brave… good looking people like you."

She blushed at the last one. "Good looking, huh? I never thought you even see me like that."

He laughed. "It just made me realized that Pureblood, Half-blood or Muggleborn or whatever blood they have in their veins, it's just the same people, living and breathing and just enjoying life."

He really got a way with words… that every time they talk, he gets her attention and that he talk sense to her. One thing that she loves from their nightly conversation was that she gets to see a side of him that doesn't really appear that much.

"And yeah, I do find you good looking, and I do envy the weasel and Potter for being too close to you."

She laughed then. "Cute, Malfoy."

"It's true, though."

She smiled at him. "You're not half bad, yourself. You're extremely attractive, a very beautiful man, indeed. Lav and Parvati always, always, always talk about you."

"Is that your opinion, or Brown and Patil's? The attractive part…" he questions.

"Our opinion."

He chuckled.

"Cute."

They laughed.

**vii.**

Draco Malfoy was standing behind her. His hand wrapped tightly around hers, with his fingers intertwined with hers. She felt safe, as if the news that the guy was delivering was good. As if problems will not come their way. As if the war was done.

But she couldn't stop her tears.

Ginny Weasley, her best friend, the sister of Ron, was found dead by the Giant's cave.

Her last conversation with Ginny happened two months before they parted. Ginny agreed to join in the fighting group. While Hermione joined Harry into searching of the Horcruxes, in which where Hermione almost died. Last time Hermione heard of Ginny's team was when they reported at Hog's Head.

Their conversation was a bunch of 'good byes' and 'I'll miss yous'.

And she'll definitely miss the red-head.

Draco accompanied her to her room and there she cried until she was about to be dehydrated. But she doesn't care, her best friend is gone and there's absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Her head rested in Draco's shoulder, her hands balled into his chest. Draco being still and pulling her closer to him, his hand on the back of her head while the other one was rubbing her back side.

"I'm so sorry." He kept on whispering into her ear.

**viii.**

Two nights he didn't stayed in Grimmauld, he was with Moody fighting off some death eaters some place. She has been restless for two nights. For two nights she couldn't stop worrying about him. She would sometimes, look out the window just to check if he's back. But he still wasn't.

She turned on the TV and lied down at the couch. He'll be back; she kept on telling herself, just to calm herself down. Harry and him and everyone from the order will be fine.

He'll be back, for sure.

She was listening to the static sound. Her head on the left side, where Draco normally seat down, and she swear just before she fell asleep, she could smell him on the couch.

**ix.**

"You feeling all better, Neville?" She asked her friend.

"Yeah, quite all right. The numbing cream really helped." He said and smiled at her.

"That's good." She replied and returned the smile.

"Any news on Harry?" He asked then.

"There's no news about him." she said, suddenly saddened. "But Remus and Moody are trying their best and scattered search groups to look for him."

Neville pulled her closer to him, and grabbed her hand. "Cheer up, Hermione." He started. "He could still be alive, somewhere in this vast world… I know it is pretty vague to hold on to. But it's just like that. Take me for example, I was lost in the woods for almost a year, and I was already reported as dead. And yet, here I am. In one piece… maybe not that healthy, but still alive. And in moments of my solitariness, I had already convinced myself that it was over, that I would be dead in the next days. But whenever I look up the sky, or the stars or a newly bloomed flower… these little things, they give me hope, these little things helped me strive and never in a million years would I think that Remus' team was searching those grounds. Never did I think at that moment that they would find me and that I would be returning. So don't give up. Don't give up on your faith, Hermione."

Faith.

Just like what Draco said.

It has been a month since he was gone.

They haven't heard of Moody's team for over a month now.

**x.**

She inspected every vial in the cabinet, checking whether it is on the proper side or if it has a proper label. Satisfied with them, she left them behind and continued to work on a new potion.

She could hear a commotion happening downstairs. She could hear shouting and things breaking. When she went downstairs, it was Justin and Seamus, about to fight. With the help of Dean and Neville who are stopping them.

"How could you? You arrogant bastard!" Justin yelled. "She's my girlfriend! And yet you do not respect that and still violated her! You fucking bastard!"

"It wasn't all my fault, you stupid baboon!" Seamus yelled in return. "And I didn't violate her; she was the one who was willing to spread her legs!"

"How dare you accuse her of something like that?"

"I am not accusing her of anything, because believe it or not, she's fucking every guy in the house!"

Margaret, sobbing as hell, walked out of the room, leaving the two guys about to kill each other.

**xi.**

Her dreams are becoming worst now. Before, she usually wakes up when the ceiling traps her. But now, she was already struggling and already out of breath, and still, she's still not awake.

When she woke up that night, she cursed mentally. "When would this fucking war end?"

She went downstairs.

It was already 5 in the morning. So she just prepared breakfast.

**xii.**

She was startled at the loud, consecutive pops that she heard. She ran towards Remus' office, and there, right before her eyes was Moody's team, in one piece and with them are the members of the Order which were held captive by the Death Eaters.

She mentally sighed at the sight of him.

He was safe.

He smiled at her direction. And she smiled back.

Other members of the Order tended the injured. Hermione, on the other hand, tended Draco Malfoy. It was new to the other member of the Order to see them close to each other. But as time passed by, they learned to get used to it.

When they were left alone in the room, she hugged him tightly. In which he hugged back. "Missed me that much?" he asked her.

"You have no idea." She murmured, her face buried in his chest.

He chuckled.

"I missed you, too."

**xiii.**

Though the war consisted much of the bad times, there were also some good times, like this moment, with Tonks, giving birth to her and Remus' son.

Everybody was happy for them.

The gift of life. It is truly a miracle, to conceive and give life out of pure love. To see just how happy Tonks and Remus are, made Hermione happy.

**xiv.**

Hermione's head is rested on Draco's lap. Her hand playing with her hair, her feet rested on the armrest where she usually seats.

"Give me a note at least, the next time you disappear like that." She continued her argument. They had been discussing this matter for over three days now.

He chuckled. "I'm sorry if you missed me too much."

"You are so cocky, you know that?"

"Yes, yes. That's me. Draco Malfoy… so full of himself." He said. "What's new, love?"

"Don't call me that…" she could feel herself blush at the endearment.

"Why not?"

"Uhm… cause it's inappropriate?"

He laughed then.

"Don't want to, love."

**xv.**

There are some moments wherein they do watch something together. Like movies or some TV series. Most of the time, he just asks her what was happening in the story, confused as fuck with its sequence or storyline.

She sat quietly at her side of the couch and him on his side.

"What? What the hell is happening?" he exasperated.

"Him…" she pointed out, "…and the other guy is really the same person." She explained.

"How could that happen? He transfigured?"

"Malfoy, it's a muggle film, transfiguration can't happen." She calmly said. "It's like the director of them film portrayed that guy as a mentally challenged person. Did you get that?"

"No. Not really." He told her honestly. "God, this film is such a pain in the head. He said while moving to her side of the couch.

**xvi.**

Hermione stayed out in the rain. Another death of a special person. Another innocent life wasted. Another blow to the Order.

Seamus Finnegan killed Neville Longbottom. They were already too late before they realized he was a spy. 'Cause then he had already killed Neville, and had already apparated.

Tears are freely flowing from her eyes, though they are not seen because of the fierce falling of the rain. She remembered the hope he had given her, the words that helped her through Draco Malfoy's absence.

It was Draco who saw her outside.

"Come on, let's get you inside, you'll go catch a cold if you stayed here a little longer." He told her.

And it took him a while to convince her to get inside the house.

He took her to her room and helped her to change her clothes, and just like when Ginny died, she cried and cried while Draco was holding her.

"Shhhh.." calming her, his mouth on her forehead, her arms around him, his arm around her shoulder and the other one wiping her tears away.

"There was nothing we could do about it." He said.

He wiped away the tears from her face and caressed her cheek for a little bit. Slowly, his lips descended brushing lightly at the bridge of her nose and her cheek and very slowly, at her lips. He hovered his lips over to hers for a while as if contemplating whether to continue or not. But in the end as if he gave up, he just captured her lips with his.

But she was crying.

And the kiss ended quickly.

He slept with her that night. But not the fucked her and stayed kind of thing, just the innocent lied beside her and eventually fell asleep. His arms wrapped around her.

That was the first time that the dreams didn't appear.

**xvii.**

She straddled his thigh. There, definitely, she could feel his arousal. His lips were magical, that she noted. She was being sent to new heights with every sweep of his tongue in her mouth. He caressed every part of her body. She moaned at the feeling of his mouth on her neck, he didn't remove her clothing, they are still on the living room and someone might walk in on them. She lowered herself on his arousal and lightly brush against him.

They had sex for the first time in their couch, with the static sound for their background. For how long, she couldn't remember.

Neither she nor he cared.

For a moment they lied down on the couch. Both panting hard, sweating. Between gasps and sighs, "Happy New Year.", he said.

She smiled at him. "Happy New Year, Draco."

**xviii.**

He grabbed her and they began to dance.

It was Fleur and Bill's wedding anniversary.

"Let's live together." He suddenly said out of the blue. "…after this war, let's live together in the muggle world."

"We'll just kill each other."

"We don't, now."

She laughed at him. "How could you even propose that?"

"Why not? It's perfect!" He exclaimed.

"No, it's not. What would other people think?"

"Let's not think of other people here, it's just you and me, living in a perfectly quiet place."

She laughed again.

"I'm serious." He told her.

"I think you've completely gone mental." She said smiling at him. "And I think I'm beginning to become one too, cause right now I'm on the verge of agreeing with you."

He laughed, and grabbed her face, and kissed her soundly, in front of the crowd.

She stared at him as they continue dancing, looking at him as if he was heaven sent. And she was convinced right at that moment, she had fallen in love with him.

He noticed her looking.

"You know you can talk with your facial expression." he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"Nothing." He chuckled. "But just so you know, the feeling's mutual."

She frowned at him.

"Nothing." He mouthed.

"Promise me, you'll live with me in my parent's house." She said.

"Promise."

**xix.**

Moody, Ron and him together with the others who are currently doing so, went on a mission to search for Harry.

On the night before the day they set out, Draco stayed with her the whole night. Over and over they reached for their climax, until both of them were too tired to talk, and both just passed out.

Draco woke up before she did.

He didn't move out of the room, instead, he stayed beside her and watched her sleep. He pulled her closer to his body. Lifting her head and settling it on his clavicle, her forehead near his jaw, and arms around her. He lowered his lips to her forehead, muttering inaudible things.

They stayed like that for a few minutes.

"I love you." He whispered.

A few more times he repeated those three words.

When he left the room, Hermione opened her eyes; a smile began on her face. "I love you, Draco Malfoy." She whispered. And hoped that one day, she could tell him in front of his face.

**xx.**

He'll come back, it was for sure.

But the thing was… Moody and his team went back that summer and with them was a badly injured and bloodied Harry Potter.

Everyone was happy for his return. Everyone who had given up on hope of ending this war finally regained the spark once more.

But there was no Draco Malfoy.

His file was marked, "Dead."

But she refused to believe in it. There was no way he could be dead. She believed that he was just like Neville and Harry, thought of being dead but returned after many months. She didn't shed a tear.

**00.**

Day after day, Hermione stood out near the window, watching the street as it goes dark… day after day. She doesn't get tired, even after the war ended, when Harry finally defeated the Dark Lord, even when she moved back to her muggle house.

She stood near the window, looking out, hoping… faithfully. She's hoping that one day, he'll show up. That one day, the house she solely retires in would be a house of a happy family.

Because she has faith that he will fulfill his promise to live with her in this house.

She never gets tired of waiting, cause she knows, he will be back… for sure.

* * *

><p>Thank you for reading. Please leave your reviews, I would love to read them. :)<p> 


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